A VOLUNTEER from Catrine has been praised by a local MP.

Natasha Kerr would be the first person to tell you that she doesn’t volunteer for any recognition or thanks, but that is what the 21 year old sports student has received from her local MP Alan Brown.

Last year Natasha volunteered more than 800 hours between the Kilmarnock Harriers, Catrine Youth Club and East Ayrshire Vibrant Communities coaching young people in a number of sports including athletics, badminton, basketball and hockey.

Natasha explained her motivation, saying: “Volunteering is about helping people and giving up any free time that you have to help others. I have the opportunity to pass on my knowledge of sport to many different client groups in the community. It is a great feeling witnessing an improvement in the children’s ability levels. Being part of their development gives such a feeling of great satisfaction.

"There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that I have helped children improve their skills, increase their ability, but most importantly, seeing the smiles on their faces knowing that they are happy and enjoying themselves.”

The impressive dedication to volunteer is supported by the HND in Sports Coaching and Development course Natasha is studying at the Ayrshire College.

Apart from the personal sacrifices Natasha makes for her Youth Work she has had to overcome some extremely debilitating personal barriers as well, as she has selective mutism and being on the autistic spectrum communication can be difficult causing her a great deal of anxiety. Away from the training ground or badminton court you can see Natasha feels uncomfortable but as soon as she is in the coaching environment and helping others the confidence and ability she has developed shines through.

Natasha added: “These personal barriers made me struggle with new environments and talking to new people that I did not feel safe with. By volunteering and being at college it has helped me increase my confidence and control the selective mutism. The college actively encourages me to believe in myself and invests a lot of time and effort in me and I am extremely grateful for this.”

As part of Volunteers’ Week, organisations and individuals are asked to thank a volunteer for the work that they do and the time that they give to others freely.

Alan Brown, MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun said: “The thing that is most striking when talking to volunteers like Natasha is that although the work they do brings them a sense of pleasure and personal achievement it is supporting others and seeing others succeed that drives them.

“It is clear that the mentoring and personal investment in people that Ayrshire College has fostered has helped Natasha become the amazing young woman she is and through her volunteering many people will benefit from happier, healthier and more confident lives.

“I would like to thank Natasha for her personal contribution to over 300 children and young people. Through her hard work, selfless dedication and personal development she encourages the health, happiness and wellbeing of others through sports and embodies what volunteering is all about.

“I would encourage everyone to identify a local volunteer that contributes to you personally or the local community and thank them for the important work that they do. They will not ask for our recognition or thanks but they truly deserve to be praised for what they contribute.

“Without volunteers many groups, charities and voluntary organisations would struggle to exist, the people that rely on them for leisure, support or simple human contact would no longer have that in their lives and society as a whole would be poorer for it.”

Due to her achievements Natalie has already been awarded ‘Scotland’s Youth Worker of the year’ in March this year by Youth Link Scotland. She has been chosen by the YWCA as one of their featured ‘30 under 30’ inspiring young women and has also learned recently that she is one of the finalists in The Herald Higher Education Awards.